ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · ruler · tear · mark · mate · bore · cold · bound

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cold — an illness
  5. tear — to rip
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bound — certain
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bound — obliged
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. cold — not warm
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wax — to grow
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com